New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman could have fought this, just as he vowed when he arrived last month to spring training camp.

The Major League Players Association could have insisted he appeal the decision, taking the battle to an independent arbitrator.

Chapman instead will be remembered as the first baseball player to be suspended for a domestic violence incident, and accepting his punishment - albeit quite clumsily, with a statement that infuriated a victims’ advocacy group.

Chapman was suspended 30 games by Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred on Tuesday, but the surprise was the announcement that he was not going to appeal.

“I want to be clear,’’ Chapman said in a statement, “I did not in any way harm my girlfriend that evening. However, I should have exercised better judgment with respect to certain actions, and for that I am sorry.

“The decision to accept a suspension, as opposed to appealing one, was made after careful consideration.’’

Let’s be honest: Chapman had no choice but forgo an appeal. Chapman acknowledged in a Miami police report that he fired a handgun nine times in his garage after an argument Oct. 30 with his girlfriend. There were no arrests or charges, because, as is often the case in domestic incidents, conflicting witness accounts and dubious cooperation would have made a conviction difficult.

Yet, an angry 28-year-old man firing his gun in the wake of an incident with his girlfriend left Major League Baseball little choice but to act.

“I found Mr. Chapman’s acknowledged conduct on that day to be inappropriate under the negotiated policy,’’ Manfred said, “particularly his use of a firearm and the impact of that behavior on his partner.’’

Ruth Glenn, executive director of the National Coalition against Domestic Violence, applauded Manfred’s stand from her Denver office, but was disgusted by Chapman’s statement saying he did not harm his girlfriend.

“I find that very disturbing,’’ Glenn told USA TODAY Sports. “What is he referring to? The fact he didn’t shoot her? Any time a gun is involved, and there’s a domestic violence report, harm has been done to somebody.

“When a gun is involved, that is intimidation. I find it upsetting that Mr. Chapman is not taking any responsibility for really bad behavior.

“Some harm must have been done, or else MLB wouldn’t have come to the decision in which they did.’’

Manfred was ready to issue an even longer suspension last week, 35 to 40 games, according to a person with direct knowledge of Manfred’s plan, until Chapman and his legal team negotiated a lesser penalty throughout the weekend.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the topic.

If Chapman filed an appeal, it likely wouldn’t have been heard until after the start of the season. If Chapman lost the appeal, the suspension could have carried until perhaps June, instead of May 9, when he’s eligible to return.

And if he missed more than 59 days of the regular season, Chapman’s pending free agency would have been delayed another year, costing him tens of millions of dollars, instead of $1.9 million of his $11.325 million salary.

It was a gamble that he wasn’t willing to risk, and the union fully supported the decision.

“The Major League Baseball Players Association and its members do not condone the mistreatment of others by playing or non-playing personnel,’’ the union said in a statement. “At the same time, the MLBPA remains committed to protecting and ensuring the rights granted to players under the applicable provisions of the sport’s new Joint Policy on Domestic Violence. As such, the MLBPA supports Mr. Chapman's decision to forgo his right to an appeal.’’

It may not be so simple to resolve Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes’ status. Manfred will wait until Reyes’ legal issues are resolved in his case, with criminal proceedings scheduled April 4 in Hawaii. Reyes was arrested and charged, and his wife sought medical treatment after an incident at a Maui resort last Oct. 31.

If Chapman received 30 games, you can be assured that Reyes won’t be playing again for at least 80 games, and could be suspended even longer.

That’s an issue for another day.

For now, Manfred has made it clear baseball will have no tolerance on domestic violence abuse cases, after years of neglect.

“Manfred, being a new commissioner, was going to have to set a precedent,’’ veteran Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce, Chapman’s former teammate, told USA TODAY Sports. “The league had to send a message that there’s no room for domestic violence in the game, let alone the world. The league cannot get a reputation of handling things like that lightly.’’

The message couldn’t have been more clean, or powerful. This wasn’t a messy Ray Rice case. There will be no suspension reduction, or a U.S. District Court overturning the decision.

We will never know exactly what happened that October evening in in Aroldis Chapman’s home in South Florida.

But we will the day baseball took a powerful stand.

“We were watching this closely,’’ Glenn said, “and are generally pleased with the punishment. It’s an absolute step in the right direction. Even though there was no ‘bodily harm,’ the act was egregious enough to suspend him for 30 games, which is pretty significant in baseball.

“Now, we’ll find out in the months ahead whether their policy is effective.’’

2011: Manny Ramirez was suspended 100 games for a second violation of MLB's drug policy. Instead, he voluntarily retired. Upon reinstatement, Ramirez served 50 games once he signed a contract.
Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports

1993: Reds owner Marge Schott was removed from day-to-day operations of the club for the entire 1993 season due to a number of racially offensive remarks. She was later suspended for similar behavior from 1996 through 1998.
David Kohl, AP

1992: Relief pitcher Steve Howe was permanently suspended by MLB for drug use. That followed a one-year ban which cost him the 1984 season. He was later reinstated and pitched again in 1994.
Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY Sports